MHSA(Q&)A: Hudson wrestling coach Scott Marry
February 26, 2012
Although updating the records remains a work in progress, it’s fair to say few have accomplished in Michigan high school wrestling what Hudson coach Scott Marry has over the last 24 seasons.
He’s one of just a handful of coaches who have won more than 600 matches – he’s 630-135 after this Finals weekend – and Hudson is one of only three programs to win four or more consecutive team championships since 1988, the first season MHSAA team titles were decided by dual matches instead of the Individual Finals results. The Tigers beat Shelby 33-22 in Saturday’s Division 4 Final at Battle Creek’s Kellogg Arena.
Marry is a Hudson alum, having graduated in 1983 before attending Adrian College. He also coached the junior varsity football team for 11 seasons.
Of roughly 270 students at Hudson High, 27 were on the wrestling team this season, including Marry’s son Devan – who has signed with Eastern Michigan for next season. We caught up with Scott Marry after Saturday’s championship match.
It’s four titles in a row.
I’m numb right now. I’m lost for words. I’m happy for these seniors. Most of these seniors were on that football team (in 2010) that was a state title also, so they’ve won five state titles. They have five championship rings. They were in another (football) Finals against Traverse City (St. Francis, in 2009). So they’ve been in seven Finals contests.
About 10 percent of your school’s enrollment is on the wrestling team. How were you able to create so much interest in the program?
They want to be part of something successful. The kids know that hard work pays off. They really do. This didn’t start this year. I’ve had these kids in the program for years. Every one of these seniors, I’ve known them seven or eight years. They’re my boy’s best friends. That’s a huge advantage.
And I don’t think that just because the senior class was so good that this is going to be the end of Hudson wrestling, by any means. But those seniors had a big part to do with what happened today.
Although you’ve won four straight titles, is this one more special because you know these seniors so well?
Definitely. We’ve been bawling all day. We’ve been hugging and crying and saying good-bye, and promising each other that no matter what – win, lose or draw – we were going to have these same feelings for each other when we were done. But this is a little bit sweeter. I get to say good-bye to six guys that I’ve shared a lot of time with. And in a good way – it’s a positive saying good-bye, not a negative one. I’m going to miss them all.
What keeps you coming back every year?
The student athletes. The community. … I think, to give these kids something to look forward to, something to work for, that’s the least I can do.
D2 Preview: Eager to Finish Business
March 1, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Many of Division 2’s contenders this weekend hope it’s an MHSAA Finals filled with second chances.
Six of 10 favorites highlighted below were runners-up a year ago, two losing by a mere point in their championship matches.
Follow all matches beginning with Thursday's first round on a subscription basis live on MHSAA.tv, and click here for results at MHSAA.com. And come back to Second Half this weekend as we’ll interview all 14 title winners.
The MHSAA Wrestling Finals are presented by the Michigan Army National Guard. College choices below are based on reporting by Michigan Grappler.
112: Corey Gamet, Parma Western sophomore (46-0) – Gamet defeated another then-freshman, Chaise Mayer of Warren Woods Tower, 3-2 to win last year's title at 103 and is now 61-1 over two high school seasons after losing most of last winter to a knee injury.
119: Branson Proudlock, Gibraltar Carlson junior (49-0) – After falling by just a point in last season’s 112 championship match, Proudlock enters as the top seed at 119 and a combined 100-2 over the last two seasons.
119: Elijuh Weaver, Warren Woods Tower senior (51-4) – Coming off last season’s championship at 112, he’s not seeded at this weight despite beating top seed Proudlock in last year’s Final; he also finished as an individual runner-up as a sophomore.
125: Dominic LaJoie, Gaylord junior (48-0) – An individual champion as both a freshman and sophomore, he missed a third title last year by just a point losing a 4-3 decision in the 119 Final; he’s seeded first this winter and will continue next season at Cornell University.
130: Drew Marten, Tecumseh senior (51-1) – The champion a year ago at 125 pulled off one of the day’s most unexpected triumphs, downing two-time champion Lucas Hall; it shouldn’t have been a huge surprise though since Marten entered that match 52-1, and now he’s a top seed with a two-year record of 104-2 and a future set at Central Michigan.
140: Trent Lashuay, St. Johns senior (29-6) – Last season’s runner-up at 135 enters this weekend as the top seed at this weight; he fell only 5-2 in last year’s Final and made that run despite entering the weekend with 10 losses.
152: Dustin Gross, Dearborn Heights Annapolis junior (51-0) – He’s seeded second behind also-undefeated Bret Fedewa of St. Johns, but Gross finished runner-up last season at 145 and handed reigning Division 1 145 champion Nathan Atienza of Livonia Franklin his only loss this winter.
171: Connor Charping, Trenton senior (54-1) – After just missing last year’s championship at 160 losing a 3-1 decision on a takedown with 10 seconds remaining, Charping is the top seed at 171 and looking to go out on top.
189: Jelani Embree, Warren Lincoln senior (32-0) – The champion at 171 last season hasn’t lost over the last two, moving to a combined 79-0 as an upperclassmen; he’ll continue his career after this at Michigan.
215: Eli Boulton, Lowell senior (37-3) – He lost by a 9-2 decision in the championship match at this weight last season, but enters his last Finals as the top seed and fresh off a team title last weekend.
Other 2016 runners-up: Warren Woods Tower sophomore Chaise Mayer (112, 48-1, 103 in 2016), Mason senior Brad Wilton (189, 38-3).
Also undefeated: Orchard Lake St. Mary’s freshman Joshua Edmond (135, 49-0), Sparta sophomore Alec Reese (145, 45-0), St. Johns senior Bret Fedewa (152, 49-0), Dexter senior Will Feldkamp (189, 48-0), Cedar Springs senior Patrick DePiazza (285, 44-0).
No. 1 seeds: Gaylord freshman Chayse LaJoie (103, 48-3), Parma Western’s Gamet (112), Gibraltar Carlson’s Proudlock (119), Gaylord’s Dominic LaJoie (125), Tecumseh’s Marten (130), Lowell freshman Austin Boone (135, 36-3), St. Johns’ Lashuay (140), Sparta’s Rees (145), St. Johns’ Fedewa (152), DeWitt senior Lucas McFarland (160, 50-2), Trenton’s Carping (171), Warren Lincoln’s Embree (189), Lowell’s Boulton (215), Cedar Springs' DePiazza (285).
PHOTO: Warren Woods Tower’s Elijuh Weaver (top) works toward a win during the Division 2 championship match against Lowell on Saturday. (Click for more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)